Brazil has the 9th largest economy in the world, with a GDP of USD 1.86 trillion, of which USD 160 billion represents the health sector. The Brazilian government operates one of the largest universal health care systems to date, providing free services to over 210 million people through the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). It also has the world’s second-largest private health sector, which includes some of the world’s best-performing hospital groups.
Furthermore, Brazil is the leading medical device market in Latin America and the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world. The Brazilian economy, however, is also hit by a recession and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. As health demands are growing and resources in the public sector become scarcer, Brazil’s health system is transforming to become future-proof. This transformation leads to opportunities for Dutch healthcare solutions in areas such as health information management systems, telemedicine and high-tech equipment for which Brazil depends on imports. The large industries and excellent science, technology and innovation climate in Brazil also provide opportunities for the Dutch sector related to STI cooperation and investments.
